Light unfolds all its magic on walks in particular. Gentle sunrises, glowing reflections on water surfaces or the subtle nuances of a cloudy sky can be reproduced much more authentically with an extended dynamic range. HDR opens up the possibility of capturing these impressions as they are actually experienced.
Recordings in 10-bit D-Log
To approach this goal, I film with the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 in 10-bit D-Log. This flat color profile preserves a wider dynamic range and offers significantly more leeway in post-production. It allows for finer color gradients, more natural contrasts and an overall higher quality image.
The recordings are then processed in DaVinci Resolve with the official LUTs from DJI. Even in SDR, this creates a very balanced and coherent image that authentically reflects the atmosphere of my walks.
The challenges of HDR on YouTube
However, the implementation of HDR turned out to be more complex than expected. For a video to be correctly recognized as HDR on YouTube, the colour space, metadata and encoding must be precisely coordinated.
I tested various workflows, including re-encoding videos and manually transferring HDR metadata. Despite careful adjustments, the uploads were still recognized as BT.709 - i.e. as Standard Dynamic Range instead of HDR. Even the smallest deviations can lead to platforms misinterpreting the material.
These experiments have been enlightening and have given me a deeper understanding of the technical background.
Why DaVinci Resolve Studio is necessary
It quickly became clear that although the free version of DaVinci Resolve is extremely powerful, it has limitations in the professional HDR workflow. Advanced functions for HDR grading, color management and encoding are reserved for the Studio version.
After numerous tests, it is clear to me that a consistent and reliable HDR workflow is only possible with DaVinci Resolve Studio. The investment is not insignificant, but it opens up new creative possibilities and raises visual quality to a new level.
The current status at WeOnlyWalk
For the time being, the videos on WeOnlyWalk will continue to appear in SDR. This format guarantees maximum compatibility and ensures that the content can be played back reliably on all devices.
However, HDR remains an exciting goal for the future. As soon as the technical conditions are optimal, it will find its permanent place in the project.